Attention: Generation X and their villains, as well as any other mutant mentioned in this story, is property of Marvel Comics. The character Richard Cale is named after family relations. Any other reference to anything copyrighted is a chance happening.

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Truth Be Told

Chapter 4: Yvette's Story (Updated)

Yvette helped Rich off the floor. She was a little upset with Jono for not doing what he had been told earlier. She still had some of her survival instincts in her about a threat. Act first. Question Later. She was about to say something to Jono when Rich said psionicly "Now love, you must remember that he injured someone, and he didn't want to hurt another friend."

Yvette remembered that Rich had used his mutant ability to mimic her. "But he let the fake Mondo almost kill you. I don't see how you can easily forgive that."

"Simple. I had my own doubts as well. I started thinking, what if the one I told Sean about, was the real one? At least when that Mondo attacked me, I knew it was fake. There were no doubts." He said all that in a calm voice that he used most of the time. She had never seen Rich upset, and Rich had told her that he had a nasty temper.

Sean, followed by Angelo and Jono, walked over and asked, "Rich, lad, are ye alright?" as he extended a hand to help Rich up. Over the time she had been at the school, Yvette had learned to trust Sean Cassidy enough to know that he cared for everyone. Regardless of her first day at the school, she realized that this man meant her no harm.

Rich took Sean's extended hand and she and Sean help Rich to his feet. "As best as can be expected from an experience similar to getting a hug from a boa?" Yvette wondered what Rich had meant by that statement. She went to ask him as he said, "It is a snake known for crushing its victims, Yvette." She understood what he meant then.

She then heard Angelo say, "So, we have an unconscious Mondo in the med unit, and a madman on the grounds?" She wondered what Angelo had meant by that. This was the first she had heard about this relative of Sean's.

Sean said to Angelo, "That is a nice way of terming it." He then motioned everyone to gather around and said, "We have a major problem, and we got to stop it before everyone returns. Skitz, do ye remember when you had spotted me cousin?" Rich nodded and Sean continued, "Good, Chamber, I want you to start charging up for another blast. Skin, be ready to pull any of us out of harms way. Skitz, I hope you have mimicked Penance, because you might be the only weapons we have until Chamber is ready." This was big trouble, since Sean only used codenames when there was trouble.

Rich had tense to a point that he could still speak. "I'm ready, Banshee." Rich then turned to face her and said, "Are you ready, Penny?"

She did the same and said, "Let's save our school." She felt better about what they were getting into when Rich smiled. They all headed out of the building they were in, as Rich lead them to a small wooded area a short ways from the school. They had obviously passed the range of the alarms, because the alarms had never detected Sean's cousin.

When Rich stopped, she watched and listened as Sean yelled, "All right Tom, We know ye are here, so ye might as well show yurself." She watched and was ready to strike at anything. She noticed that Rich had moved over to her side. Angelo and Jono had stayed back just as Sean had instructed.

She then heard Rich speak to her, "I hope it doesn't come down to fighting." She saw the worry in his eyes. Something was truly worrying him, something that he couldn't hide.

"What's wrong?"

"Remember what I said about my temper?"

A terrible realization hit her mind. "Don't lose control of your temper now? I don't know the extreme of my ability. I'd hate to find about it if you did something rash."

Rich slowly said, trying to keep the calmness in his voice, "I'll try. For your sake, Yvette, I'll try."

The two of them jumped to face movement Yvette seen appear in front of Sean. Then, an eerie voice said, "Well now cousin, I was hoping to meet later. How did ye discover I was here. Did my fake Mondo do something unexpected?" A chill ran up her spine. The man had looked partially like a plant.

Sean faced his cousin and said, "Why are ye here? What are ye planning to do here, Tom?" There was a look of anger on Sean's face.

The man that was Sean's cousin, Tom, said in a calm voice, "Ye are being replace as teacher of this school. I'm taking over as of right now. Sooner that I had planned, but I can adapt." Yvette then notice two large tree roots come out of the ground. One wrapped itself around Sean and flung him to the ground near Jono and Angelo. The other came to hit her and Rich. As she jumped to the left, and Rich jumped right, the man said, "This is one ability you aren't immune to. I ambushed Mondo easily enough. I think that one of these two mutants alerted ye to my presence, cousin. I shall rectify that problem."

The one root came down at Rich, but he jumped out of the way again. Yvette realized she should have watched for her safety as the other root came straight at her and sent her flying. She saw that she was going to collide with a tree and she didn't have anyway to stop it. She then saw one of Angelo's fingers appear. He was going to pull her out of the way. She softened her body and allowed him to pull her away from a painful collision. The hit from the root was painful enough. As she was pulled from safety, she heard, in her mind, a scream of rage. She realized what it was, but before she could say anything, it was too late to stop it.

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Angelo, who was no stranger to painful memories, noticed that Yvette was having trouble continuing the account of what happened. In fact, he figured it would happened. He said, "Do you want me to continue for you?" He probably could tell this part better, after seeing something similar to it in the hood.

She looked at him and said, "Please." She walked over to a corner and had almost started to cry. He could only imagine the fear she felt. He watched as Jubilee went over to comfort her. Jubilee always comforted Yvette during those times Rich wasn't around, and even after his unique attempt to take his life.

Jean looked at him and said, "So what happened?" Angelo decided to tell them exactly what he saw.

"Well, I can put it this way. You don't have to worry about Black Tom Cassidy anymore, chica."

A look of shock passed both Jean's and Scott's faces. Scott managed to say, "You mean he...?" Angelo decided then was the time to tell them what had happened after he caught Yvette.

Bump....for reasons that will be revealed later in the week.